Organ



Oct. 6, 1931.

W. A. P. S. LANGSTON ORGAN Filed Feb. 14. 1929 Patented Oct. 6, 1931WILLIAM AUSTIN PAUL STEFF LANGSTON, OF WOBURN, ENGLAND OBGAN Applicationmed February 14, 1929, serial No.

This invention consists of improvements in or relating to organs and theobject is to simplify the manner of and the apparatus for varying theintensity or volume of tone ISand/or the number of differenty classes ofsound-producing devices in operation.

The organs at present known vary widely in construction, but in thegreat majority of them the method of control of the volume l@ of toneand of the number of stops in use includes (inter alia) the employmentof pedals. For example, one pedal is arranged to bring in differentstops, i. e. to bring into opera-tion different classes ofsound-producing devices. Again, another pedal is similarly arranged tocontrol the extent of opening of louvres or similar shutters forming theexit from a sound-box enclosing certain sound-producing devices. Theremay,

29,;tor example,

trolling respectively different groups of sound-producing devices, inwhich case there would be three pedals altogether. It is inconvenientior the organist to control three 2pedals, particularly if the organcontains,

as usual, an ordinary keyboard of footpedals.

The present invention comprises in or for an organ, a pedal having afreedom of move- .ment about two axes inclined to one another, andarranged to operate one set of organ control-devices (for example,stops) by movement about one of 'the aforesaid axes and to operateanother set'of control devices y(for example, swells) by movement aboutthe other axis.

Preferably, a set of organ control devices` are arranged to be actuatedin succession by movement of the pedal about one axis and ment of thepedal about the other axis.

In one form, two separate sets ot operating means for organ-controldevices are .located for control by one movement of the pedal and twomaster-controls (for example, plunger-switches) one for each set, arelocated near one end of the pedal (for exam- I ple, the toe). Thesemaster-controls serve 59' to prepare or connect the organ-control debetwo such sound-boxes, con- I" another set of organ-control devices arearranged to be operated 1n succession by move- 339,800, and in GreatBritain March 19, 1928.

vices for operation by the aforesaid two separate sets of operatingmeans.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example one formof pedal embodying,r this invention as applied 55 stop 11. The pedal ishinged at 12 to a ver- 65 tical standard 13. The pedal carries on itsunder side two semi-circular plates 14, 15l which lie in parallelvertical planes and carry arc-shaped series ofelectrical contacts 16, 17respectively. These contacts co-operate with 70 spring-controlled studcontacts 18, 19 fixed to the standard 13.

Theleads from the .movable contacts 16 are grouped into a cable 20. Theleads from the contacts 17 are similarly grouped into a 75 cable 21. f

Near the toe-portion of the pedal 10 are two plunger-switches 22 .and23. The switch 22 is in the circuit of the fixed stud 18; the switch 23is in the circuit of the fixed stud 19. 80 When one of theseplunger-switches, e. g. 22, is depressed, the closing of the switchprepares the control-circuit which controls the louvres or shutters ofthe sound-boxes of one whole section of the organ. There may also 8sbe`provided in parallel with each of the plunger-switches 22 and 23 anadditional hand-switch 24, 25 which can be permanently closed whendesired.

It will be understood that the tilting of the 90 l pedal 10 about thehorizontal axis 12 brings thefelectrical contacts 16 and 17 gradually orsuccessively into operation, anduaccording to whether either one or boththe plungerswitches 22, 23 or hand-switches 24;, 25 have 95' beenoperated, gradually opens or closes the louvres or shutters ot thecorresponding sound-box or sound-boxes. The standard 13 is rotatable ona vertical axis 26, and it carries a circular (or part circular)horizontal 100 plate 27 having an arc-shaped Contact 28 and a springcontact-stud 29 (which may embody a contact-roller). The arc-shapedcontact 28 co-operates with a fixed contact 30 on the base-plate 31 ofthe organ-console, and the spring contact-stud Q9 co-operates with aseries of txed contacts 32 on the base-plate 3l.

The circuits controlled by the contacts liust referred to have theetl'ect of bringing into operation either different types ofsoundproducing devices (i. e. diilierent stops) or different couplingarrangements, or both.

For example, a first contact might bring into operation the flute stopuncoupled. a second contact might bring in the flute and strings stop,possibly with one octave coupling on the flutes. A third stop mightbrinfr in the additional vox humana stop with an octave coupling on thestrings; a fourth contact might bring in the oboe stop with a furtheroctave couplingr on the flutes. and so forth. The octave couplings aremade electrically.

In order to facilitate the operation for a full organ crash by openingsimultaneously all the louvres or shutters of the sound-boxes. there isprovided a supplementary operating device which is preferably arrangedto be operated at the end of the range of movement of the toe-portion ofthe pedal in a downward direction. On the toot-plate 10 there is anextension 33 having at its lower end a transverse contact member 34. Onthe baseplate 31 a pillar 37 carries two press-contacts 35 and 36 whichare electrically connected to the stud-contacts 1S and 19 respectively.The contact-strip 34 is electrically connected to the conductor 38 forone Contact of each plunger-switch and hand-switch so that when thefoot-plate is depressed to operate this crash device all the sound-boxeswill be brought int-o full operation regardless of position of theplunger-switches Q2 and handswitches 24. The arrangement ofthecontactstrip 34 and the press-contacts 35 and 36 will be such that thecrash mav be effected in any position of adjustment of the foot-plateabout the vertical axis Q6.

The hinged connections ofthe foot-plate preferably have suflicientfriction or are provided with friction devices to ensure that when thefoot-plate has been adjusted in any position it will remain in thatposition when the organists toot is removed.

It will be understood that the construction above described by way otexample may be modified in many ways. For example, instead of locatingthe contacts 16 and 17 upon a part such as the plate 14 which is movablewith the foot-plate about a horizontal axis, these contacts 16 and 17may be fixed to the standard 13 and the stud-contacts 18 and 19 wouldthen be carried by the foot-plate. Similarly7 the positions of thecontacts 32 and the co-operat-ing stud-contact 29 may also be reversed.

It is to be understood that the pedal device according to the inventionmay be employed in electrically-operated organs and also in pneumaticorgans having electrical control means, in which latter case theelectric-contacts of the pedal device may be connected toelectromagnetic devices for operating a controlling valve-box for thepneumatic organ-operating means.

The pedal-device of the invention is also applied topneumatically-operated and-controlled organs, in which case instead ofoperating electric-contacts the pedal-device is arranged to directlyoperate valves in a like manner7 these valves controlling the stops,shutters and the like of the organ.

The valves may be arranged in two sets, as are the switch-contacts inthe pedal-switch for 'the electric-organ, the valves of one set beingcontrolled by a movement of the footplate about one axis and the Valvesof the other set being controlled by the foot-plate about the other axisof movement. The sets of valves for the sound-boxes may be divided intotwo series, as above described7 for electric-organs. each series havinga` master-control and a hand-control corresponding to theplunger-sv;itchcs 22 and 23 and halidsu'itches 24 and It is preferableto employ flexible pipes for connecting one set of valves to the organin order to permit movement of the toot-plate to control the other setof valves.

I claim 1. In an organ, av pedal, means whereby the pedal may be movedabout two angularly related axes, a set of organ control-devices adaptedto be operated by movement of said pedal about one axis, and another setof organ control-devices adapted to be operated by movement of saidpedal about the other axis.

2. An organ pedal comprising a foot plate, a support providing asubstantially horizontal axis therefor, and means providing asubstantially vertical axis for said foot plate.

3. An organ pedal comprising a foot plate, a support providing asubstantially horizontal axis therefor. and means whereby said footplate and support may be moved about an axis angularly related to theaforesaid axis.

4. In an organ, a pedal mounted for movement about two angularly relatedaxes, means for actuating one set of organ controldevices in successionby movement of the pedal about one axis, and means for actuating anotherset of organ control-devices in succession by movement of the pedalabout the other axis.

5. In an organ, a pedal-device mounted for movement about two angularlyrelated axes having two separate sets of operating means for organcontrol-devices located for control by one movement of the pedal, andtwo master controls, one for each set located near one end of the pedalfor the purpose described.

(j. In an organ, a pedal-device as claimed in claim l, in combinationwith a supplementary operating device for operating simultaneously, allthe individual control-devices in one or morel of the sets, whichsupplementary device is arranged to be operated by movement of the pedalto one end of its range of movement for the purpose described.

7. In an electric organ, a pedal and associated parts as claimed inclaim l, wherein the sets of organ control devices each comprise aseries of electrical control contacts and acooperating contact member,one of which is mounted on the pedal so as to be operated thereby.

8. In an organ having electrically operated control means, a pedalsubstantially as described, a master control thereon, and a secondmaster control in parallel circuit therewith, the master control on thepedal being adapted to become inoperative when pressure thereon isreleased, and the second master control being adapted to remainoperative until further actuated.

9. In an organ, a pedal device adapted to operate control means,comprising a support revolvable about a substantially vertical axis, asubstantially vertical member attached to said support, a substantiallyhorizontal shaft journalled to said member, and a foot plate carried bysaid shaft, whereby the foot plate is capable of being revolved aboutboth a vertical and a horizontal axis.

10. In an organ, a support revolvable about a substantially verticalaxis, a substantially vertical member attached to said support, asubstantially horizontal shaft journalled to said member, a footplatecarried by said shaft, organ control-devices actuated by movement of thesupport about its axis, and other organ control devices actuated bymovement of the foot plate about its shaft.

11. In an organ, a table turnable about a vertical axis, a pedal mountedon said table turnable about a horizontal axis, control means operatedby the movement of the table about its axis, control means operated bythe movement of the pedal about its axis, organ stops controlled by theorgan control means, and organ swells controlled by the pedal controlmeans.

12. In an organ, a table turnable about a vertical axis, a pedal mountedon said table turnable about a horizontal axis,spaced contactsassociated with the table and with the pedal, so that movement thereofabout their respective axes brings dili'erent contacts into controlrelationship, organ swells controlled by the contacts associated withthe pedal, and organ stops controlled by the contacts associated withthe table.

13. In an organ, a table turnable about a vertical axis, a pedal mountedon said table turnable about a horizontal axis, an electrical contactcarried by the table, a plurality of spaced stationary electricalcontacts disposed in the path of the table contact, so that movenient ofthe table about its vertical axis causes the table contact tosuccessively wipe over the stationary contacts, organ stops in electriccircuit relation with said movable table and stationary contacts, aplurality of spaced electrical contacts carried by said pedal, astationary Contact mounted on the table in the path of the pedalcontacts, so that movement of the pedal about its horizontal axis causesthe pedal contacts to wipe over the stationary contact, and organ swellsin electric circuit relation with said stationary and movable pedalcontacts.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

WILLIAM AUSTIN PAUL STEFF LANGSTON.

